British Columbia's premier says the province will address long wait-lists for hip and knee replacements, allowing an extra 4,000 people to have the surgeries in the coming year. Nearly 4 in 10 wait over 6 monthsIn 2005, health ministers for all provinces set a benchmark of a 26-week wait time for patients needing hip and knee replacements. However, the latest figures from the Canadian Institute for Health Information show British Columbia was third from the bottom of the pack in 2016, with only 61 per cent of patients getting hip replacements within that benchmark. Dix says the goal is to have 95 per cent of patients waiting less than 26 weeks for hip and knee surgeries within two years. "This has been a significant change, using the public system to reduce wait times," he said.

Source: CBC News March 21, 2018 21:11 UTC